Volunteers are welcome to help the coast live oak thrive in our local wilderness.

One of the most common trees seen in the Irvine Ranch Natural Landmarks is the coast live oak. These majestic, sprawling trees can live hundreds of years and produce hundreds of thousands of acorns over its lifetime, yet very few acorns survive to sprout and produce new oak trees. To help this critical species thrive, Irvine Ranch Conservancy is seeking volunteers to help plant acorns for these trees in OC Parks’ Limestone Canyon Nature Preserve.

Coast live oaks are a vital and important component of the vegetation of California. Oak woodlands profoundly affect the variety and abundance of wildlife, providing food, water and cover for approximately 350 native animal species.

Coast live oaks depend on animals to seek out, collect, and bury their acorns. For example, the Western Scrub Jay can bury or store up to 5,000 acorns every year, most are later found and eaten.

The few remaining acorns left unfound and buried in the soil have a good chance of becoming a seedling. Those seedlings still must survive countless dangers in order to become magestic oaks. Animals like deer and gophers eat them, or the seedlings can get trampled. Drought also hurts the survival rate of seedlings since rain is needed to provide water until it has roots long enough to reach water underground.

These challenges are why the Conservancy is seeking volunteers to help these acorns along. The “Acorn Planting Stewardship – Limestone Canyon” activity will be held on Monday, January 20 from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Anyone over the age of 7 is welcome, and participants will plant acorns in Limestone Canyon, and also plant their own acorn to take home with them and watch grow. No experience is needed, and all tools will be supplied. Please visit www.LetsGoOutside.org to register and for more information.